Unemployment in the UK is decreasing, creating more and more opportunities for recruiters. However, this does now mean that we’re operating in a candidate-led market. Jobseekers have more options than they’ve had in recent years, and will take their time deciding if a job is a good fit for them. So how do you turn these jobseekers into candidates, and convince them you’re their best bet if they want that dream job? It’s all about creating a ‘Grade A’ candidate journey that keeps them happy and satisfied throughout the recruitment process.
The candidate journey is made up of three stages, each one as important as the last:
Stage 1: Attracting candidates
This is all about those important first impressions, developing your brand and your online presence. First impressions stick, so make them count!
Stage 2: Continuing the journey
Your job’s not over once you’ve attracted the candidates. You need to get them to stick around long enough to realise you outshine the competition in every way. Get to know your candidates, and not just what’s on their CV. Personal interests and desires are just as important. Personalised, relevant and timely communication is key to a good candidate experience, and little things such as using your candidates name rather than sending a ‘Hi Everyone’ email make all the difference.
Stage 3: Post-placement steps
The average worker changes jobs a number of times over their career. Don’t forget about your candidates once you’ve placed them, because they’ll likely seek your advice again if they had a good experience. Also never forget that a candidate can become a client down the line. If they’ve had a poor personal experience with you they are unlikely to believe you’re the recruiter their company needs, so keep in touch.
Is it hard to build a great candidate journey?
It’s a lot easier than you think to build a candidate journey that provides a great experience for both you and your candidates. To make it even easier, we’ve put together a whitepaper to guide you through the entire process. You can download it below. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments and we’ll do our best to answer them.
